Day 4: Selma, Alabama

Today was an incredible day. We came to heart of the deep south by visiting Alabama. We met with 2 individuals that worked, marched and truly served the Civil Rights movement. We first met with Rev. Reese of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church. This man has pastured this church for 45 years and he was a huge leader for the Selma community. This is the man who sent a letter to Dr. King to ask him to come to Selma to help the fight for African Americans to be able to vote. He marched with King and was in the 2nd row during Bloody Sunday. If you don’t know about Bloody Sunday or the march from Selma to Montgomery please click this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selma_to_Montgomery_marches. It was another amazing opportunity to hear from a man to fought for freedom, for rights, for justice, for me!

The second half of our day we were with Ms. Joanne Bland. She was a young girl but she marched the Selma to Montgomery march as well. She was so candid, and honest. She was direct in her speech. It was an obvious hurt & pain she still has. It was an honor to meet her and speak with someone who has not been able to just ‘let it go’. She took us to churches where large meetings were held but the most memorable moment was she had us walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. That is the Bridge that they marched across and were met by the state police. The police would not allow them to march peacefully in their efforts to gain voting rights. Instead the police began to beat, spray tear gas, chase, destroy and do anything to attack the Black and White marchers. They beat women and children. It was brutal. Walking across the bridge made me very emotional as I continue to realize what people did for me. Joanne brought about a great point today. She says do not say people “gave their lives” during the movement because they didn’t. No one volunteered to die, they were murdered!

There is so much more to say but I can’t put it all in words. This day was a memory I will hold onto. To see and hear more about the march from Selma to Montgomery and to learn more about Bloody Sunday please kick this link.http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/bloody-sunday-shocks-nation/6yu8t05

God Bless

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